Tag: cosmetics

Exploring cosmetic chemical concerns – in C&EN

Click to view the full graphic on the C&EN site

Compounds in cosmetics such as phthalates and parabens have often been subject to concerns around their use, but the issue of cosmetic ingredient safety is rarely a black and white one. The latest edition of Periodic Graphics in C&EN summarises some of the evidence surrounding these components to give a balanced picture of how concerned we should be. Click to view the full graphic on the C&EN site.

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The Chemistry of Nail Polish

The Chemistry of Nail Polish – Polymers, Plasticisers and Pigments

Infographic on the chemistry of nail polish. The graphic highlights the film-forming polymers, such as nitrocellulose, used in polishes, the solvents, such as ethyl acetate, that give it its characteristic smell, and some of the different pigments used.
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Painting your nails with nail polish might not seem like a particularly complex chemical process, but there’s much more to it than meets the eye. Polymerisation, thixotropic agents, solvents and thermochromism are all terms you might expect to hear more frequently in a lab than in a nail salon, but they can all crop up in relation to nail polish. In this graphic and article, we take a look at the different chemistry that comes together to colour your nails.

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Cosmetic Chemistry – The Compounds in Red Lipstick

Infographic on the chemistry of lipstick. Waxes provide the structure of lipstick. A number of different natural waxes are used, including beeswax, Carnauba wax, and Candelila wax. Oils give lipstick its gloss and provide lubrication for the application of the lipstick. A range of different pigments and dyes give lipsticks colour. Other compounds added to lipstick include fragrances to mask the smell of the other chemicals present.
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Lipstick is one of the most commonly used cosmetic products – and a range of chemicals are required for its production. The choice of these ingredients is carefully considered to provide the desired colour, glossiness, and indelibility. A single stick of lipstick will contain several hundred different chemical compounds, but there are a few substances and compounds whose inclusion is essential.

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